Get Your Sexercise!

Surprise: Your regular workout can help you out in the bedroom, too. Here's how.

You know your morning power walk protects your heart and that your Wednesday night yoga class calms your mind. Now it's time to let these exercises spice things up in the sack. Read on and learn how the right moves can get you in the mood, increase your (and his) pleasure and more.

The Workout Move: Power Walking

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

The sneaky sex benefit: Circulation! Circulation! Circulation! Doing brisk laps around your neighborhood (or anywhere) improves blood flow to your entire body. Why this helps: At even the slightest hint that sex could be on the horizon -- say, a flirty glance or arm caress from your guy -- your body sends blood to your nether region, which triggers that ready-for-action feeling. The better your circulation, the more blood will make it down south, and the more aroused you'll feel, says Howard Glazer, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology in obstetrics and gynecology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. Any heart-pumping activity -- walking, jogging, dancing -- will do the trick, says Susan Lewis, M.D., director of the Women's Program at the Center for Sports Medicine at St. Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco. To reap bedroom benefits, aim for at least 20 minutes of aerobic activity three to four times a week.

The Workout Move: Skating with Your Kids

The sneaky sex benefit: Hitting the rink strengthens your inner thighs (a typically weak area for women), which can make intercourse more exciting. Tone these muscles and you'll find that when you squeeze them together during sex, the walls of your vagina feel tighter -- a plus for him and you, says Jennifer Berman, M.D., urologist and director of the Female Sexual Medicine Center at UCLA Medical Center. Another way to power up those thighs: Do plié squats, says Kristen Gagne, personal training manager at Equinox Fitness Clubs in Woodbury, New York. Put your hands on your hips, take a wide stance (feet should be more than shoulder-width apart) and turn your toes out slightly. With your torso upright, squat until your hips are almost parallel to your knees. Hold for two counts and return to starting position. To feel the benefit, do three sets of 15 squats three times a week.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

The Workout Move: Yoga

The sneaky sex benefit: The more you practice your "Ujjayi" breathing — a common yoga technique in which you inhale deeply while expanding your chest and lungs, then take a long exhale — the more focused you'll be (instead of letting the stresses of the day distract you). Why? Research shows that brain activity actually decreases when you take these deep breaths, giving you a sense of well-being and peace. This self-taught calmness will come in handy when you and your partner finally get some alone-time, Glazer says. The reason: Since breathing deeply will come naturally to you, it'll be easier to turn off the never-ending to-do list in your brain ("I'm out of dog food!" "The dryer needs unloading!") and fully devote your mind and body to that sexy guy next to you.

The Workout Move: Crunches

The sneaky sex benefit: When you do sit-ups, your pelvic muscles — which support your reproductive organs and contract quickly during orgasm — also get a workout, says Gagne. And the stronger those muscles are, the more intense your climax will be. "To engage your pelvic muscles while you do your sit-ups, make sure your lower back stays on the floor and keep your shoulder blades lifted up off the ground the entire time," she explains. Do three sets of 15 crunches three times a week and within two weeks, you'll notice that not only are your abs stronger, but your pelvic floor is too. Obviously, you won't be able to see your new and improved sex muscles, but you should find that you can better flex your pubococcygeal (PC) muscle — the one that stops the flow of urine when you squeeze it and is part of a network of pelvic floor muscles — during intercourse. This will increase stimulation, leading to super-strong orgasms.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Redbook participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.